


Fathers, Brothers, Mothers, and Sons

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Children, F/F, Family, Holidays, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-05
Updated: 2007-08-05
Packaged: 2019-05-31 10:02:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15117068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: In just sitting there contemplating the question, Nancy felt gravity take another potshot at her.





	Fathers, Brothers, Mothers, and Sons

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Jimmy came through the front door asking if he was too late. Fitz shook his head as they both walked into the kitchen. Breakfast smelled delicious; they made sure there was enough for them to eat too. Scooter stirred the grits as Jimmy got the trays ready.

“Hey Uncle Jimmy.” Jeremy said, coming into the kitchen.

“Hey kid. I bought the good stuff; a bottle of Cristal.”

Jeremy set up Nancy’s tray with a half-dozen sunflowers. Fitz made her a plate of waffles and sausage. Jimmy made the mimosa and a cup of coffee with cream and three Splenda, just the way she liked it. Scooter made Lauren’s tray. Half a dozen white roses with a plate of grits, scrambled eggs and ham. Jimmy also made her a mimosa with a cup of coffee. Then he pushed a button on his cell phone.

“Hello.”

“Did I wake you?”

“Mmm, sort of. What's up?”

“Well I want to come up and say good morning. Is that alright?”

“Yeah. Where are you?”

“In your kitchen. Put on some clothes and a big smile Dr. McNally.”

“Shut up, I'm wearing clothes.”

“Happy Mother’s Day.”

“Thank you.”

“Kiss my sister for me.”

“I doubt that will be a problem. Give us 15 minutes.”

“Alright.”

They got everything together and 15 minutes later went up the stairs to the master bedroom. Scooter knocked, they were invited in, and the women smiled as they were presented with breakfast in bed.

“We would sing a song.” Jeremy said. “But there isn’t one.”

“This is wonderful anyway.” Lauren replied. “C'mon, I want kisses from everyone.”

She hugged and kissed all of her boys and they went around to kiss Nancy.

“We don’t want to keep you for too long.” Scooter said, sitting in Nancy’s La-Z-Boy. “Open your gifts girls.”

Lauren grabbed the envelope from her tray and tore it open.

“That’s from Jer and me.” Fitz said.

“Jer and I.” Nancy corrected.

“Yes ma'am. Jer and I.”

On the cover of the card were two mothers, one black one white, with two excited little boys. She opened it and found six tickets. Two for Hamlet, two for The Lion in Winter, and two for Auntie Mame.

“Oh boys, this is great. Thank you.”

“Open yours Nance.” Jimmy said. “It’s from Scooter and I.”

Nancy did, and she found two first class tickets to London.

“London? This is fantastic. When are we going?”

“Whenever you want.” Scooter said.

“Except it has to be between June 5th and the 12th because that’s when the shows are.” Jeremy added.

“Oh my God.” Lauren looked at the tickets. Sure enough, they were for theaters in the heart of London. “We’re going to London!”

“Happy Mother’s Day.” The boys said again.

“Eat your breakfast before it gets too cold.” Jimmy said.

Lauren nodded; she was already enjoying it. Nancy told them that the gifts were amazing and it was a good Mother’s Day. They were left alone a little while later. Lauren smiled at her wife.

“We’re going to London.” She said, bouncing around a bit with a half-full mouth.

“It will be fun and the timeframe won't interrupt with prom or the boys getting out of school.”

“I'm sure they planned it that way. Happy Mother’s Day Dr. McNally.”

“Happy Mother’s Day love of my life.”

They shared a tender kiss, Nancy stroking her face before going back to her breakfast.

“I thought we might just hang out today.” Lauren said.

“Doing what?” Nancy asked.

“I don’t care. A little nap, some movies, a walk around the neighborhood.”

“We can have some pizza for lunch. Just the two of us.”

“Kabobs for dinner with the boys.” Lauren said. “Even with the lingering grey clouds the weather is nice. We could grill out on the deck with a little music. Today is going to be a perfect day.”

They kissed again. Nancy moved the breakfast trays onto the floor and took Lauren into her arms. Lauren smiled, twirling a curl around her finger.

“I plan to make the most of my day with you.” Lauren said, kissing her passionately.

“Lets make the most of time with the boys too.”

“Of course. But first…”

“First, I want to give you a little attention.”

“And I'm not going to stop you Dr. McNally.”

***

After making love, they shared a warm bath. They dressed up, Lauren in a lavender sundress and a large straw hat and Nancy in a crème colored linen tank dress. It was not raining but the clouds loomed overhead. Nancy carried a large umbrella as they took a stroll through their Upper West Side neighborhood. They stopped at the florist and Lauren bought Nancy the biggest sunflower she had ever seen.

“Do you still want to get that tattoo?”

“What tattoo?” Nancy asked.

“The sunflower with Doug’s name?”

“I told you about that?”

“You tell me everything, whether you want to or not.”

“That’s so true.”

“So, do you?”

“I think about it now and again. I think I'm too old for that kind of thing.”

“You are never too old to express your love for someone. Nora always talks about how wonderful it feels to get new ink. Lets go next Friday.”

“Are you being serious?”

Nancy looked at her over her sunglasses and Lauren could not help but kiss her.

“Don’t I look serious?” Lauren crossed her eyes and Nancy burst into laughter. “No boo boo, I'm serious. We will go and get your tattoo…I think it will be lovely.”

“Are you thinking of getting one too?” Nancy asked.

“I'm thinking, but I'm not sure. Two may be enough.”

They went to Celeste for lunch. Nancy loved their brick oven thin crust pizza. Hers was topped with chicken and diced tomatoes. Lauren ordered hers with jumbo lump crabmeat.

“You have a sunflower.” Nancy said, sipping her iced tea.

“Hmm?”

“I don’t think we should both have sunflower tattoos.”

“Does it really matter?” Lauren asked.

“I think it does. Perhaps I will think about an angel on my shoulder…I definitely feel that he is still with me. Every moment of every day.”

“That will be terrific. So we will go next Friday.”

“Alright. We’ll go.”

She took a piece of Lauren’s pizza and ate it. Lauren then pushed a box across the table; Nancy smiled and opened it. It was a blue bowl for coffee, a picture of Fitz and Jeremy covered in mud on the front.

“Oh my God, when was this taken? How old are they?”

“Maybe 10. I found it in one of the family photo albums and knew you would love it.”

“I do. Thank you baby.”

Nancy had a present for Lauren too and she handed it over. She tore the paper off smiling when she saw the silver framed picture of her family. This one was taken in Key West on a snorkeling boat. Nancy, Lauren, Scooter, Jimmy and the boys…dressed in life vests and wearing happy smiles before jumping in to look at sharks and other marine wildlife.

“Oh Nancy, I love it. C’mere.”

“No. Not in public.”

“Are you kidding me? Oh please.”

Lauren leaned over and Nancy met her halfway with a roll of her eyes. She never left Lauren hanging on a kiss and she thought of that as she brushed auburn bangs from her forehead.

“I can't believe it baby.”

“What?”

“We both managed to stay low key this year.”

“I know. See, I can follow directions.”

“I never believed that you could not.” Nancy said.

“Oh yeah right.” Lauren’s laughter rang in Nancy’s ears and made her smile. “We have been together for quite a long time. I know you Nancy McNally.”

“I know you too pretty baby. When you put your mind to something you pull it off with flair.”

“I think that deserves another kiss.” Lauren replied.

“Hold your horses Broomhilda. When we get home you can kiss me as much as you want.”

“Anywhere I want?”

“All over if you so desire.”

“I have a lot of desire…can you handle it?”

“Why do you think I have a PhD in Lauren-ology?”

***

Jimmy offered to make dinner but Nancy and Lauren loved to do that together. A light but steady rain fell when they got back to the house. They found Jimmy, Scooter, Jeremy, Fitz, and Meenah around the kitchen table playing poker with coins.

“This is so illegal.” Nancy said. “Are you having fun?”

“Meenah seems to have channeled The Gambler.” Jimmy replied.

“I used to be addicted to reruns of Celebrity Poker Showdown. Happy Mother’s Day, Mrs. McNally. Happy Mother’s Day Dr. McNally.”

“Thank you sweetheart.” Lauren said kissing her forehead.

Nancy went to the refrigerator, started to gather her food. Lauren headed out to heat up the grill.

“Do kabobs sound good to you guys?” she asked.

“Oh yeah.” They all said in unison.

“Meenah honey, are you staying for dinner?”

“Yes ma'am. Is that OK?”

“Of course. Guys, I have shrimp, crabmeat, and rotini in there. I will love whoever makes the seafood salad.”

“We have it all under control.” Jimmy replied with a wink.

Nancy nodded and went through the den out onto the deck. Lauren pulled the awning down so the rain would not ruin the table…it would be nice to have dinner out back. She was tinkering with the different sauces when the house phone started ringing.

“Mum!”

Her head snapped up when she heard her name; a mother reflex.

“Mum! Telephone!”

“Who is it sweetie?” she walked into the kitchen and took the phone from Jeremy’s hands.

“Your publisher.”

“Thanks. Hello.”

She stepped into the den, as the noise from the poker game was a bit overwhelming. She looked at her family as she chatted on the phone. The boys and Meenah still playing cards, Jimmy and Scooter chatting and laughing as they made seafood salad. She turned toward the window, smiling as she saw Nancy dancing to Stevie Wonder on the radio as she worked the grill.

“Alright, sure thanks Kevin. I will call you on Tuesday. Yeah, uh huh. Bye bye.”

Lauren hung up the phone and went back outside. She wrapped her arms around Nancy; the former National Security Advisor smiled.

“Who was on the phone?”

“I will tell you later.”

“What are you up to?”

Nancy turned her head and Lauren kissed her lips.

“Nothing at all. Those kabobs smell fantastic.”

“Deflector.”

“I love you Dr. McNally.”

“I love you too baby doll.”

***

“Did you notice that Jeremy called me mum this evening?”

“Hmm?”

Nancy had a novel in her lap. It was Dominick Dunne’s People Like Us. In her twice a month book club they were revisiting 80s glitz. She barely made it through Jackie Collins’ Hollywood Wives but enjoyed this book. She was not reading it though, nor was she listening to what her wife said. Instead, she was watching Lauren do her yoga stretches in the middle of the floor. She did them at least three nights a week, always dressed in tights and some little tee shirt. The woman was over 50…how in God’s name did she stay so hot? In just sitting there, contemplating the question Nancy felt gravity take another potshot at her.

“Jeremy called me mum today. I got a little misty at the time. I…”

“It sounds as if you're getting misty again.”

“I'm not; shut up.”

Nancy grinned though she noticed Lauren dab under her eye with the side of her index finger. She put a bookmark in the page she had hardly read.

“I guess we could not expect to be Dr. and Mrs. McNally forever. I mean we have known him since he was eight years old. We have fed him, bathed him, taken him on a vacation or two…I can never remember a time before him. It’s a natural progression.”

“I know. Its just that sometimes he feels so uncomfortable. He really thinks he put us out. Can you believe that Nance?”

“Yes, though it is certainly not true. Lets just keep doing it the way we do it…he will settle in. Its hardly been six months though I think he will be with us for the duration. Calling you mum means he is reaching a new point.”

“Mom can't be far off.” Lauren replied.

“I don’t think…”

Her thought process was interrupted by a knock on the door. Lauren called out for the person to come in. Both Fitz and Jeremy stuck their heads in.

“We just wanted to say Happy Mother’s Day once more before it was over and your jobs went back to being completely thankless.” Fitz said.

“Well that’s appreciated.” Nancy said.

“Goodnight mom.” Jeremy said. “Goodnight mum.”

“Goodnight sweetie. Goodnight Fitz.”

“’Night mothers.”

They went to leave and Nancy stopped them. Fitz and Jeremy came back into the room.

"We love you both very much. Fitz, you're our baby and Jeremy we feel blessed and lucky to have you as a member of our family. You have been more than a best friend to Fitz, you have been a brother and you never have to feel like anything less. I think it only appropriate on Mother's Day that we both tell you that you are a McNally now. In thinking about it, there has not been a time since we moved here that you have not been a part of Fitz's life and certainly Mrs. McNally's and mine. I know that your mother is out there and you love her very much but I am proud to be that for you Jeremy; very much so."

"Ditto." Lauren replied smiling.

"I just felt the need to say all of that."

"It's the Harvard woman in her." Fitz said snickering.

"Ha ha Mister."

"I appreciate it." Jeremy said. "You and Mrs. McNally have been parenting me in one way or another for half of my life. I think you deserve the title of mother, and as long as you are OK with it..."

"We are more than OK with it." Lauren said.

"So do I get a plan now?" Jeremy asked. "I could definitely use one."

"Get out, the both of you." Nancy said laughing. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

“What were you saying?”

“I was saying something that turned out to be untrue so I won't bother to finish. I wonder if he called Helen today.”

“He said he would when I talked to him in the kitchen before we left this afternoon. C’mon, tell me the mom thing didn’t get you in the pit of your stomach. Your heartfelt words got me.”

Lauren rolled up her yoga carpet and headed for the bathroom.

“Are you kidding me? My heart is racing and my pulse quickening. I absolutely love being a mom…those boys mean more than everything to me.”

“Ditto.”

“Where are you going baby?”

“To take a shower.”

“Don’t.” Nancy shook her head.

“Why?” Lauren’s blue eyes twinkled, mischief blazing through them as she bit her lip.

“Because sometimes I like the taste of sweat on your skin.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmm hmm. Come and cuddle with me.”

Lauren took off her tights and tee shirt, crawling across the bed in a purple sports bra and cotton panties. Nancy held out her arms, kissing Lauren passionately. Lauren sighed as they settled on the bed. Kissing and touching…Nancy loved the sweet sighs of her wife as she kissed the right spots.

“I have a surprise for you Dr. McNally. Lets call it another Mother’s Day gift.”

“What?” Nancy toyed with the straps of the bra. “Do you mind if I take this off?”

“Not at all.”

She lifted the sports bra over her head and caressed her breasts. Nancy bent to kiss the soft skin before running her tongue over the hardened nipples. Lauren moaned, her fingers twirling through the curls in Nancy’s hair.

“Are these my surprise?” she murmured against Lauren’s skin.

“Not exactly.”

“But they're wonderful, and make me so happy.”

Lauren laughed. She pulled Nancy back up so they were face to face and took her face in her hands.

“They want to publish my book boo boo.”

“What book?” Nancy stroked her face and softly kissed her.

“Dr. and Mrs. McNally. Its ready.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but its all up to you. I want everyone to read it but I will not do anything without your say so. I know how personal you are.”

“Do it baby. Everyone should know how much I love you Lauren.”

“Are you feeling alright?” Lauren touched Nancy’s forehead with the back of her hand. This made both of them laugh.

“I feel fine. Publish the book and let people read about a real couple with real love and real obstacles. I'm proud of the story and I know how much love you put into it.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too. How about we stop talking for just a while.”

“Mmm, I would love that.”

As they made love, Nancy thought about her life being thrust into the spotlight again when the book it the shelves. She did not care. Love, marriage, and family had been very good to Dr. Nancy McNally. Why shouldn’t the whole world know?

***


End file.
